Seek Sophie: Once Misunderstood, Now Unmistakable | Case Study — Somewhere Else® | Somewhere Else®

Street poster advertisement for Seek Sophie. Left panel shows a hand-drawn illustration of a traveler sharing fruit with a raccoon, captioned “Befriend the locals.” Center panel shows a person wearing a traditional hat harvesting vegetables in a lush green garden with the text “On the ground Adventures.” Right panel shows a hand-drawn illustration of a tree character and traveler holding clouds, captioned “Be one with nature.”

Once Misunderstood, Now Unmistakable

Travel start-up Seek Sophie made its name curating offbeat travel in Southeast Asia, uncovering hidden surf camps, bee farms and treks most have never heard of. When borders shut, they pivoted to hyper-local Singapore experiences. It worked, but diluted the brand's true proposition.

Traditional Balinese people walking through a forest embarking on a spiritual journey, with the words "Uncover the Unexpected", A ticker tape with the following words run at the bottom: Discover Hidden Spots, Embark on eye-opening experiences, Meet awe-inspiring locals and learn of their craft

Adventurous Heart, Purpose with Pulse

With a loyal audience and vision to retake the region post-pandemic, Seek Sophie needed to reconnect with values-driven travellers and speak purpose with energy; joyful, not precious.

Hand-drawn illustration of 4 characters—an earth man, a traveler with a backpack, a local farmer and a traveller with a sling bag—holding hands and dancing together. On the right, is the headline "How we travel can change the world"

SEEN & UNSAID

Working with purpose-led teams means absolute honesty. Every Seek Customer Research revealed clear strengths:

“I find Seek Sophie quite unique, services offered are not found elsewhere in this region. When I think of Seek Sophie, I think of activity and nature.”

“If I try something out for the first time, do I want to go through the pain of contacting an independent vendor? I'd rather stick to a reliable platform that I know is there for me. Seek Sophie won't let me suffer.”

The Brand Audit surfaced tensions and critical gaps:

Offbeat curation dazzles, but the brand feels more ‘trendy’ than credible.
Few trust signals on the homepage risk losing first-time visitors.
Inconsistent touch points weaken the promise of meaningful curation.

These findings laid the groundwork for a focused reset: amplifying purpose and trust while preserving the brand’s adventurous heart.

BELIEF & MOMENTUM

We positioned Seek Sophie as a guide for adventurous, values-driven travellers who refuse to fit in a box. Our narrative champions mindful exploration with a “Keeping It Real” promise, weaving authenticity, purpose, and genuine care into every recommendation.

A bold headline "Unashamedly original, always uncommon" on a bright yellow background, with images of two hikers climbing a mountain, a local craftsman, three people exploring and diving in a cave, as well as a traditional performer

CHARACTER & FORM

We did more than just design a logo, we built a world. The new logo, a winding SS monogram, hinted at unexpected journeys while the illustrations, rich with explorers in off-grid settings, nodded to ‘Sophie’ herself—a fictional spirit of discovery. We paired editorial-style typography with an honest, conversational tone of voice that's neither chirpy nor corporate.

Most importantly, the identity explains without overselling. Inviting, just like the best kind of travel guide—the one who’s been there and really wants you to go. The entire system is designed to flex and scale: equally at home introducing you to bee farms in Chiang Mai as it is explaining how a booking works. With hundreds of pages and edge cases, that range was non-negotiable.

Digital Experience
Every pixel is 120% true to Seek Sophie’s values: customer-centric, genuine care and excitable curiosity. Follow on work included UX/UI for new digital products; imaginative, unique features for the Seek Sophie customer.

I've worked with agencies all around the world from London to US to Singapore, and I've honestly never encountered a better, more passionate, and more dedicated bunch.
Somewhere Else are deeply creative, passionate and their work ethic is hugely commendable.
We worked with them closely and it was one of the best decisions we've made as a business. Their ideas were original, their designs were fresh and their attention to detail and client-centricity were second to none.

— JACINTA, CO-FOUNDER

Mobile phone sticking out of the pocket of a blue and grey hiking rucksack, on the screen is Seek Sophie's journal page, titled "Field Notes", along with an illustration of a camper holding a guidebook, a traveler with a telescope and a photographer in the city.

Collage of alternative travel images, showing the Seek Sophie team on the ground, testing experiences and talking to local guides. Around the images are badges showing the different sustainability pillars, a character exploring different paths, and a trophy for awesome local secrets

An explorer in a bucket hat, wearing a Seek Sophie "Out of Office" t-shirt and waving a giant leaf above her head. She is staring into the distance, looking out toward a natural landscape in an unknown location

OUTCOMES

Seek Sophie now shows up the way it’s always felt to its most loyal users: intentional, thoughtful, and quietly radical. Since relaunch, the brand has deepened its emotional resonance with its core audience.

Conversions up 30 – 55%, revenue up 43 – 78% for key pages between 5 April – 4 May vs preceding Period.
We continue to support the team in developing new digital products.

Seek Sophie now truly reflects its “Travel as a Force for Good” values, not just its category. And that’s what keeps people coming back.

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